Dakabin Station

[SurfRail]

The station was apparently named in 1888, almost a century before the suburb was officially named and bounded.  The railway line is the western boundary of the suburb.

Thanks.  I'm particularly interested in stations which do not bear a suburb name, or have a less than obvious local name.

Petrie station has extensive carparking but is completely full each morning.  Traffic around the station is heavy already.  The situation would not be improved by another 100-200 more cars trying to park there.  The feeder bus service from the area into Petrie station is poor.  Apart from an infrequent bus down the road, it would be just as quick for me to walk to Dakabin station as the nearest bus stop having a frequent bus service during morning peak which would still involve a changeover to the train service anyway.

I suspected as much parking wise.

However, I find it difficult to categorise the bus service as being poor and just leaving it at that.  One of my friends drives for Hornibrook and he tells me that the 687 express is reliably carrying standing loads most mornings, so obviously people will not only use a service which meets their needs, but will use it in spades.  The 687 is a good example because it is reasonably fast and linear after leaving North Lakes.

It would be much better cost-wise to ramp the feeder services up so people who absolutely need to drive (ie nowhere within cooee of a bus stop or route) are more likely to have a park than people who can be attracted out of their cars.

The bridge over the Bruce Highway connecting North Lakes and Dakabin is to be completed next year which would encourage more commuters driving to Dakabin station.  This will exacerbate the situation for some years awaiting the Redcliffe railway finally being completed.   Would it be too much to hope that a feeder bus service could service North Lakes into Dakabin station and frequent feeder bus services from Kallangur into Dakabin?

It makes sense to run the 687 and other local buses to Petrie as it is the local transit hub, and people can take advantage of the higher train frequency and empty trains originating there.  No doubt you will get more people parking at Dakabin, but I think Petrie is still the logical bus terminus.

Having said that, the existing network design is fairly poor, and I know for a fact it is something Hornibrook does not like but was made necessary by funding restrictions.  The 684 is an utter mess in particular.

[HappyTrainGuy]

The major problems with Petrie and Dakabin is that from Chermside and beyond to the north the PT planning is just shocking and as a result parking at major interchanges or where parking is available such as Petrie, Aspley, Chermside, Strathpine, railway station park and rides are taking the brunt of it. Chermside used PT as an excuse to go to paid parking as locals within 2km don't have access to proper bus servies. Aspley Hypermarket (Shares with the interchange) now has security guards that tell people to leave/leave notices saying that they have taken their number plate details etc if they park there early in the mornings. Zillmere/Carseldine/Bald Hills and surrounding streets are backing up. Strathpine park and ride has taken a hit with people from as far away as Eatons Hill/Cashmere using it. So to is Strathpine westfield however its very minimal due to the poor PT bus services. Petrie is taking the biggest hit as it has all those problems from Warner/Bray Park/Petrie/Lawnton/Dakabin/Murrumba Downs/Redcliffe/Kippa Ring/Scarbrough/Deception Bay. Peak hour between Strathpine-Petrie is usually a hourly bus service with the high frequency routes being when their used as rail replacment services on the weekends. The Kippa Ring rail line would help ease the problems of people near the rail line futher out driving to Petrie but its sweet FA if Translink doesn't pull its finger out for additional bus services/frequency.

[somebody]

Charge for parking already!

There are about 20 sealed, marked parking bays.  IF parking was charged for those bays, it would be uneconomical to monitor and police.  The remaining parking is kerb street parking or on vacant railways land.  In either case, charging a parking fee would imply that the facility is fit for purpose and the charge can be justified.

I would expect that a bus stop would consume say 6 street kerb parking spots.  Surely a bus service could get at least 12 commuters to switch from bus to car and produce a net saving of space.

I think TT was referring to @Petrie.

[DayboroStation]

Dakabin Station hasn't changed much since I commuted there and walked to the high school during the mid-late 1980's. It's still unmanned, has the old wooden bridge, and is disability unfriendly. The station is adjoined by a golf club on the western side, and a heavily treed eucalypt reserve on the eastern side.
What has changed since the 1980's is the population increase in the area, especially to the eastern side of the station (which cannot be clearly seen from the train station), including Alma Heights and Butterfly Ridge estates.
Unfortunately, as is the case with most of the stations on the Caboolture line, infrastructure planning hasn't kept pace with the population growth, resulting in the situation we currently have at Dakabin Station.
Passengers who drive to Dakabin Station are most probably doing so simply because it is the closest station to where they live, and they do not wish to drive all the way to Petrie, or any other stations closer to the city. There is no bus alternative to this station, and even if there was, it may not necessarily be convenient anyway. Lack of safe walking/cycling pathways to the station does not encourage commuters to leave their car at home, either.
The reality is that the facilities supporting Dakabin Station are sub-standard, including the lack of parking, lack of disability assistance, and lack of safe walkng/cycling pathways. Something needs to be done to alleviate the problem, and the Dakabin Station Action Group should be encouraged and applauded for their efforts in this regard.
I also like the idea of an additional railway station between Dakabin and Petrie Stations, adjacent to where Narangba Road crosses over the railway line ("Kurwongbah Station"), however this would probably be too costly. This would also help alleviate the Petrie Station bottleneck, as would improved facilities at Dakabin Station.

[petey3801]

I'm sorry, but IMO, there are many, MANY other stations on the network that require refurb/rebuilding ahead of Dakabin. In my view, Dakabin is down there with Gailes and Ebbw Vale in regards to priority for refurb/rebuild.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most of the stations on the Caboolture line, infrastructure planning hasn't kept pace with the population growth, resulting in the situation we currently have at Dakabin Station.

Not just the Caboolture line sunshine, that's the state of affairs on EVERY line.

[wbj]

I'm sorry, but IMO, there are many, MANY other stations on the network that require refurb/rebuilding ahead of Dakabin. In my view, Dakabin is down there with Gailes and Ebbw Vale in regards to priority for refurb/rebuild.

Refurb/rebuild?  Luxury!  Anyway, what would it cost to refurbish or rebuild 2 platforms, 2 shelters and 1 bridge?

Seriously, most commuters would be satisfied with improved carparking.  Such work is dirt cheap.

[Fares_Fair]

Repeated from above...

QR Passenger Load Survey Q3 - 2011
Data updated 8 November, 2011

Dakabin Station

AM peak 398 and was 40.6% growth from 10Q3 - 11Q3
PM peak 327 and was 25.3% growth from 10Q3 - 11Q3

It needs somehing done, anyone who has seen the situation first hand would have to agree.
It's a mess of cars along narrow bitumen roads.
It's only a matter of time before someone gets hit moving out from between parked cars.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Until I see patronage there on a weekend it can stay the same.

[colinw]

What the heck does weekend patronage have to do with resolving a looming problem on weekdays?

If you based things on weekend patronage, there are a significant number of stations on the network that would close outright or be weekday peak hours only. (How I would love to cull a few unnecessary stations on every line & speed things up overall).

Still agree there's higher priorities than Dakabin.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Because that's when the Petrie issues aren't highlighted as much. If it was there would be cars parking there at Dakabin on a weekend more often. The whole Dakabin overcrowding issue is just simply due to poor feeder planning between Petrie-Strathpine, out to the west/north/north east and the lack of a spur to Kippa Ring (680 is hourly, Murrumba Downs is still forgotten, The west of Petrie isn't the best of coverage, Thompsons only runs a hourly timetable (I just love the hourly peak hour timetable *facepalm*)) and Petrie just can't cope with that kind of demand on its own. When MBRL goes up a majority of those issues relating to parking would dissapear at Dakabin especially if its 4tph. I'd rather see that upgrade money put into Strathpine getting a proper DDA crossover instead of the scenic tour of the level crossing and parking lot or Robinson/Telegraph/Beams roads overpasses or proper station train/bus interchanges or at the extreme 'money is growing on trees like there's no tomorrow' moving Strathpine a tad bit north to get it off the curve in prep for Trouts road quad with a flyover to the bus interchange at Strathpine

[wbj]

Some people seem to have the misguided impression that what is being advocated for Dakabin Station is a $10 M rebuild and expansion to a major station.  That is not the case.  Formed and sealed carparking, drop off area, street lighting, and even a painted pedestrian crossing would be a welcome start.  Such improvements would be relatively cheap, improve customer amenity and improve safety.  A single serious injury to a student or commuter could end up costing more to society than the cost of the basic improvements I've suggested above.  And they would be low maintenance improvements with long functional lives which would not prejudice any future development of the station.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Most of those things aren't really Queensland Rails problem to spend money on to fix up.

People parking on the school side are parking on the shoulder of the road and the same with people parking on the golf course side which becomes a council issue (Name a station where that doesn't happen). QR installed those bollards in their car park to prevent people who constantly parked there making visability limited and blocking the drop off point. Crossing facilities are also a council issue. Street lighting is a council issue (I can name plenty of stations that have lighting at the station but walk 20m away from the station and there's nothing or hardly little to light up the street.... when the train is departing Zillmere city bound look to the left its yellow/orange from the street/station lights, look to the right and its dark - Telegraph Road used to be the same and still is somewhat). The hill on the school side that everybody parks on leading up to the station only became available as QR maintained it as a track access point and over time its become the norm to park there. The school side could easily just get a slap of yellow paint on the road which would be enough. Its sort of in the same boat as Sandgate platform number 1 in regards to limited platform access from the street.

[wbj]

Sorry Happy but you're just enabling the buck passers.  There needs to be a coordinated response by QR and Council.  If there's no master plan by QR then council won't put any money into works.  There is grossly inadequate parking.  There is no public transport feeding into the station.  It is not located within reasonable walking distance to much of its catchment areas.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Well, that's just life. Money doesn't grow on trees and it all has to come from somewhere. QR shouldn't be fixing the councils lack of infrastructure or Translinks poor bus planning/services. It would be nice for every station and surrounding areas to have plenty of everything but its just not possible. QR does work with councils but it's not going to fork out money just to make a few people happy for things its not responsible for such as street lighting. If someone chooses to park on the shoulder of a road then tough titties if they have to walk through some grass. Want a sealed parking spot with lighting then park at the sporting fields and get some exercise by walking the short distance to the station. It might come across as rude but anyone that drives to Dakabin and complains about a lack of parking/sealed parking should eat a huge bag of cement. Every station has that problem in some shape or form. Go two stations further south to Lawnton and have a look there. Every day its like a car dealership on the vacant block of land adjacent to the station. Strathpine still has people parking on the tiny free block of land bordering station road and the station car park. When MBRL goes through a large number of cars would dissapear as there are other railway stations and new additional bus services to interchanges provided for people in the Mango Hill, Murrumba Downs, Redcliffe area.

There are other issues out there around the network that could do better with that money. Its still a cost for a minimal issue.

[SurfRail]

Dakabin really only has a very limited catchment - school on one side, very very low density west of the station, residential catchment slightly .  Petrie is always going to be the main station for the area - more services more frequently, more bus connections, more parking available (whether or not it is parked out).

[DayboroStation]

A couple of points to add:

The Plantation Road Project, which will link North Lakes with Alma Road via overhead bridge across the Bruce Highway, at a cost of $16.5 million, is scheduled for completion late 2013. This road will feed directly into Alma Road, which is the road that many passengers use for accessing Dakabin Station.

See Moreton Bay Regional Council's website for further details, including map: http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/general.aspx?id=101312

Already much has been written about Dakabin's lack of facilities, especially the lack of parking. This additional feeder road could worsen the situation at Dakabin Station, unless something is done to remedy the current situation.

In response to the comments regarding the Petrie Station bottleneck – I wonder how many passengers living at Dakabin/Kurwongbah/Kallangur who currently travel to Petrie Station would prefer to travel to Dakabin Station if the appropriate facilities were provided at Dakabin Station (or even a Kurwongbah Station, if one existed)? How many NEW passengers would be attracted to a revamped Dakabin Station, thus reducing the road bottlenecks along the Bruce Highway, Anzac Avenue etc?

[Fares_Fair]

Article: Sports ground may hold answer to Dakabin station's parking woes
by Jamie-Leigh Carter
Pine Rivers Press
From: Quest Newspapers
June 13, 2012 12:00AM

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/moreton/sports-ground-may-hold-answer-to-dakabin-stations-parking-woes/story-fn8m0yu3-1226393451683

Bob Brock Park may be the answer to the parking woes at Dakabin railway station, says councillor David Dwyer and State Member for Kallangur Trevor Ruthenberg.
Cr Dwyer (Division 7) said the problem of car parking at the station was a State issue, but he wanted to work with Mr Ruthenberg to fix the problem.

The current bitumen carpark allows for 22 cars, while more than  200  vehicles park in surrounding streets and up to 1km from the station each day.

``It is not safe having people park on the side of the road,'' Cr Dwyer said. ``Bob Brock Park is just a short walk away and you could probably fit 250 cars in there.

``It is safe and off the road.''

Mr Ruthenberg met with Dakabin Station Action Group founder Gemma Gale and said he would discuss the issues with the Minister for Transport.



But in the short-term, the nearby park could be the answer.

``This is a council park and people are welcome to use it,'' he said. ``It is 300m from the station. I walked it the other day and it took a little over four minutes.''

Mrs Gale said it was a good idea but had its flaws.

``The carpark itself is lit,'' she said.

``The problem is not with the carpark but with getting to and from the station because there is no lighting along the street. It may only be four minutes to walk but at night, with no lights, and as a female on your own it's just not safe.''

[HappyTrainGuy]

Well, that's just life. Money doesn't grow on trees and it all has to come from somewhere. QR shouldn't be fixing the councils lack of infrastructure or Translinks poor bus planning/services. It would be nice for every station and surrounding areas to have plenty of everything but its just not possible. QR does work with councils but it's not going to fork out money just to make a few people happy for things its not responsible for such as street lighting. If someone chooses to park on the shoulder of a road then tough titties if they have to walk through some grass. Want a sealed parking spot with lighting then park at the sporting fields and get some exercise by walking the short distance to the station. It might come across as rude but anyone that drives to Dakabin and complains about a lack of parking/sealed parking should eat a huge bag of cement. Every station has that problem in some shape or form. Go two stations further south to Lawnton and have a look there. Every day its like a car dealership on the vacant block of land adjacent to the station. Strathpine still has people parking on the tiny free block of land bordering station road and the station car park. When MBRL goes through a large number of cars would dissapear as there are other railway stations and new additional bus services to interchanges provided for people in the Mango Hill, Murrumba Downs, Redcliffe area.

Good to see someone else is using their brain

[Commuter]

... isn't that just your opinion again?

Hi, I'm new and reading this has inspired me to actually join to post my experience. I'm one of those people who 'recently' moved to the area when the land opened up and I can't say I really like it right at this moment.  I live just over a mile away which usually means I'm fine walking to and from the station. In heels most times because I don't bring extra shoes. Up and down the hill. I'm not a fussy person by nature this is just my reality.

I walk, or on the days that it rains or I'm lucky enough to carpool I do that. I'm not somebody who regularly parks at the station but even I can see that the current conditions are horrible. I see shattered windows of cars, half the cars are actually sloping down into the gutter and that's only on the walk through the tiny parkland area in the mornings. It's dirty, gross and all the rubbish just makes me shudder. I'm not saying whose to blame but it isn't a good look for the area.

There is no access from the low path to the actual road until you get to the pavement that runs to the school, or if you come off really early and walk along the entire road. I often climb up the slope.  Cars are constantly coming rushing past at speeds that I don't even want to think about in such a high density area that's better to be thought of as "one-way" road. I think I've nearly been hit at least twice this month alone: once while just walking, the other getting out of the car. Both times the drivers blared their horns at me and I'm not somebody who doesn't look before doing both these actions. If I was I'd have had at accidents by now. That is not safe.

It is not safe to have so many cars parked lengthways making a two lane street so jammed packed. It's fine for you to say:  "Oh use the sports grounds!" but the sports grounds really aren't that accessible. They aren't connected to the train station at all: you'd have to come out towards the tunnel, deal with that horribly tight turn, go around, go through the Dakabin School Zone presumably at peak school hours (I can see the accidents and headlines now if that advise was followed) and then go back in. All to park in an actual parking space and walk through conditions that like I said earlier are not ideal. The path is grungy, there is no easy way up the slope, the footpath is cracked (I may have not mentioned that earlier) and sometimes its underwater and then there is no visible crossing so drivers don't use their eyes and always presume right of way.

Don't get me started on the bridge. It doesn't look safe, and putting plastic and plastic mats over it doesn't improve matters at all.

I don't care whose problem it is like I said. I want it fixed.

Onto the walk home. I'm a twenty-something female and because I made the decision to not drive I have to walk home. It's not well lit and doesn't become so until you reach the sporting grounds which to me is always a relief because five nights of the week it's occupied with games or people training. Going home from there is tricky as well,  because most of the road which appears to be a main, well used road is not lit either. It's poor urban planning.  I've had friends, and a brother who have been attacked at Dakabin by other 'kids' while waiting for the train to go home.  Attacks, even non vicious ones dissuade them from actually visiting again and it dissuades everybody and everyone of their social circle who hears about it.

It's not a good look for the suburb and helps a poor reputation grow. Not something to be looked at when apparently the area is being "developed" (I don't know about anybody else but when we were building the developers promised the new station located in a more desirable location for northlakes. I wonder how many of the new residents also got promised this?) That's my complaint and all I've really got to say, I joined the facebook page.

[STB]

Commuter, obviously you prefer to do what you do above, and I don't know the area that well, other than just looking at a map, but I am curious.  I'm assuming you live on the eastern side of the station, and I'm wondering why you or any locals you may know, don't use the feeder local buses (683 and 686) to Petrie station and transfer to a train at Petrie to the city that services that general catchment?

[SurfRail]

I don't think you'll find anybody here that actively opposes station upgrades, Commuter.  The issue is more that with limited resources and 146 (I think) stations, the funding needs to be spread around pretty sparingly - that's just reality.  One of our "jobs" is to really push for that spending to be used as optimally as possible by holding them to account in the press and by talking to the higher-ups.

At this week's community reference group for all lines, a number of us made the point that recent spending on station refurbishments and upgrades appeared to have been frittered away largely on new paint jobs, potted plants, signage etc - all nice and good and it will keep certain costs down (they alluded to various asset failures which would include things like leaking roofs, decaying pavements etc), but no help for somebody who needs level boarding, or a navigable pathway to their car at night, or to use the toilet.  I think their responses were lame at best, but the questions were put and we will keep doing that.

We will keep on pushing for meaningful upgrades wherever possible - but in the scheme of things, Dakabin isn't even the busiest station on that part of the line, let alone the Caboolture line, much less the network.  At least for my part, I support your aims, but the story is a lot bigger than any one station, which is one reason why you might get some traction agitating on the issue directly. 

One thing you might really be well-served doing is talking to Hornibrook Bus Lines and TransLink about how badly designed nearby routes like the 684 are at present and getting some improvements happening to alleviate parking demand.  I have a friend who drives up there and he told me than on his runs this morning he collected not a single passenger - obviously something is wrong with the route design and service characteristics for it to be underperforming like that, even on a Sunday.

I see that you have been getting the politicos involved and bringing their attention to problems first hand - that is a good move too.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Again, most of the things you have listed are council issues that could help out with pressure on the station. QR could upgrade the station with level boarding and elevators (unlikely anytime soon) but they aren't responsible for poor street lighting, lack of footpaths, poor quality footpaths, street parking on Thompson road? and Narangba Road. They have assigned drop off areas for disabled access (Golf Course side - not dedicated like some stations but acceptable for its loads and over the years as more people started to use it they had to put up no parking signs/yellow paint/bollards in the car park as people were blocking the drop off area/cars getting past). You'll find that at alot of stations there is great lighting but as soon as you take a step outside their property/station area there is sweet FA. Translink could also help out by running more buses frequently to Petrie station surrounding peak hour periods.

[wbj]

I'm assuming you live on the eastern side of the station, and I'm wondering why you or any locals you may know, don't use the feeder local buses (683 and 686) to Petrie station and transfer to a train at Petrie to the city that services that general catchment?

My personal situation is that, according to Tranlink, I can catch only one bus in a 30 minute window of departure time from my house.  If I leave at the last possible moment to walk 1.3 km to the nearest bus stop for 683, the total journey will take 1 hour 52 minutes to work in Brisbane.  If I drive to Dakabin station, I can catch any number of train services which run at 6 minute intervals and arrive at work after 1 hour 25 minutes.  I suspect may other locals are equally will served. 

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Group calls for more action at Dakabin Station

Group calls for more action at Dakabin Station

    by: Kelly Murphy, Pine Rivers Press
    From: Quest Newspapers
    February 18, 2013 12:00AM

Dakabin Station Action Group has given a luke-warm reception to possible access and safety improvements by Queensland Rail.

A Queensland Rail spokesperson said investigations were under way for extra lighting to the footpath and roadway next to the station.

A second entrance at the southern end of the station, with stair access, was also being considered and in consultation with customers, Queensland Rail will ``investigate the possibility of providing other minor station enhancements''.

But Gemma Gale, spokesperson for the action group, said while these may be a step forward, she had reservations.

Ms Gale said the station was in desperate need of disability access, especially cross platform and was not in need of more stairs.

She also wondered if that meant another tap/on-off machine would be installed. She agreed extra lighting was needed.

"Patrons have to walk along an unlit isolated road. Most will tell you they feel very unsafe walking back to their cars and would appreciate extra lighting" Ms Gale said.

Ms Gale said the latest response was an improvement from being told "Dakabin is not on any upgrade list'' and suggested the action group had more than 200 rail users for possible consultation.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Dakabin Station Action Group fears over unit plans for Kallangur block

[red dragin]

Wait until the under construction Plantation Rd overpass connects half of North Lakes to Dakabin with direct access!

We are moving there mid year and would most likely use it if we get CBD based jobs.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Dakabin station is a nightmare for wheelchairs and prams, says rail passenger calling for urgent upgrades

KALLANGUR resident, who uses an electric wheelchair, says she "risks her life" when changing platforms at her local railway station.

Karen Townsend said Dakabin railway station is a nightmare for those with a disability.

With no disabled access over the tracks, those with a disability and parents with prams have to make a 700 metre journey on the edge of a road, which has no pedestrian access, cross to the next platform or catch a train to the next station and then double back.

Despite this, the Dakabin sation missed out on a slice of $40 million of funding recently announced by the State Government to target disability black spots.

"There is not even an option to get over the steps between the platforms," Ms Townsend said.

"If I want to get to the other side I have to go over the road through the (Alma Road) tunnel. It's dangerous and I risk my life."

Ms Townsend said to cross the tracks safely, those with a disability need to travel to the next station and then catch another train back to Dakabin.

She said this can lead to disabled commuters being left alone at a station in the dark.

"It's time wasted but it is also a safety issue and being disabled I feel I'm at a higher risk," she said.

Ms Townsend said the lack of services at the station meant she often did not catch a train and instead paid expensive taxi fares.

She said even buses have passed her by, unable to accommodate her wheelchair.

"I would like to see handicapped lifts or something to help people to get to the other side," Ms Townsend said.

"We shouldn't have to take a train to another station because ours isn't accessible."

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said prioritisation of accessibility upgrades at train stations was determined by patronage, nearby community facilities, existing degree of accessibility, proximity of station to alternative accessible stations or services, function of the station in the overall transport network, projected population growth and overall government transport priorities.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Queensland Rail ‏@QueenslandRail

Dakabin station commuters - don't forget, from today an additional 150 car spaces are available opposite the station on Thompson Road.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Action group leads pleas for major upgrade at Dakabin railway station as parking crisis hits new heights

THE Dakabin station parking crisis may have reached a new peak, with almost three times more cars parked around it than officially allocated car spaces.

Dakabin Station Action Group spokeswoman Gemma Gale said a team of counters recorded 462 cars parked at the station, which only had 170 official parking spaces, on one day last week.

The group regularly monitors parking levels.

"If it had been a fine day, I am sure the numbers would have been higher," Ms Gale said.

Cars were crammed along Thompson Rd, she said, with the overflow into dangerous parking ­positions on ­Narangba Rd.

"We need more car spaces and we need buses co-ordinated to train timetables and we need more bike lockers," she said.

Ms Gale said she hoped Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe would take a long, hard look at the issue.

Mr Hinchliffe visited Dakabin station recently, at the request of Kallangur state Labor MP Shane King (pictured).

Mr King said the ultimate solution was for Queensland Rail to completely rebuild the station and its carpark, but that was not on the State Government's list of funded upgrades.

"He (Mr Hinchliffe) is now well aware of the ­ever-­increasing problem of ­Dakabin station," he said. "We need to widen Thompson Rd and build a new station with disability access and bike lockers."

Mr King said he was lobbying for ­funding but was told Thompson Rd could not safely accommodate link buses.

[SurfRail]

Surely this problem will be largely resolved when MBRL opens.  Not only will there be significant parking capacity at the new stations but probably less pressure on parking at Petrie as well, plus better bus services.

[nathandavid88]

I tend to agree. Dakabin station's catchment should shrink considerably when Kallangur and Murrumba Downs come online, both of which will hame more parking spaces and are much better connected road-wise than Dakabin.

[red dragin]

As above. A huge amount of traffic flows from North Lakes via Plantation Road.

There is plenty of parking at the Sports Ground, people just prefer not to/refuse to park over there, or don't know they can. It's only a five minute walk. We both gave up on parking on the side of Thompson Rd as there is no pathway leaving people to walk on the road.

One of the local wanna be pollies flyer dropped all the cars yesterday. I didn't bother reading much more after he stated he will expand a soon to be underused car park.

[DayboroStation]

Not so sure that the new Kippa-Ring line will be the solution everyone is hoping for - only time will tell. Yes, it should reduce the number of cars driving to Dakabin, but it won't eliminate the issues with parking entirely. It doesn't solve the problems the station has with disability access, safety issues, as well as pedestrian access from new estates being built along Alma Road and other new housing developments in the area.

[red dragin]

I don't think much will happen until the rail over road bridge on Alma Rd is replaced with an alternative crossing. The station would most likely move with the road changes.

The old Pine Rivers Shire Council planning had the station being relocated north of Alma Rd where it kinks to follow the railway, with parking on the western side IIRC. The proposed Thompson Rd would still constrain it on the eastern side though.

One thing MBRC seems to fail to do, is have developers fund core upgrades. Alma Rd is an example, there are thousands of houses along it now, but the road remains two lanes despite the corridor width being plentiful. One development near the station has raised the road above flood levels, but rebuilt it as two lanes  Now the block opposite has been cleared for more development!

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/3/6/palaszczuk-government-green-lights-study-for-dakabin-station-upgrade

Media Statements
Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Sunday, March 06, 2016

Palaszczuk Government green lights study for Dakabin station upgrade

The Palaszczuk Government today announced it has asked the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Rail to prepare a rail options plan to determine the future of the busy Dakabin station.

The Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe said the detailed options analysis would be undertaken over a six month period and as part of its scope would identify solutions to address the station's infrastructure and parking issues.

"I've asked the department to prepare an analysis for Dakabin station as a result of strong lobbying from the State Member for Kallangur, Shane King," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"This analysis could include station upgrades, transit orientated development opportunities and/or a new relocated station.

"Shane is a staunch champion for his local community and, after listening to his representations on behalf of residents who use the station, I agree that it's important to plan for the future and get a solution that will work in the long term.

"This is an opportunity to conduct a detailed analysis on the options for Dakabin station and will be undertaken over the next six months by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, in conjunction with Queensland Rail."

State Member for Kallangur Shane King welcomed the study to review the station.

"Six weeks ago I took the Transport Minister to visit the station to show him how the infrastructure is no longer serving the growing needs of our community," Mr King said.

"The car parking facilities are unsatisfactory and the lack of amenity will only push more commuters to travel to other stations.

"The Dakabin community have long been asking for this station to have a detailed assessment done and I'm pleased that this message has been heard loud and clear by the Premier and the Transport Minister with the options analysis to also consider parking and other known issues which have been raised.

"I am hopeful that this study will deliver a blueprint to fix the station and address the concerns raised by train users and disability groups."

Mr Hinchliffe said the options analysis for Dakabin station will contribute to a network-wide investigation currently being undertaken by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to identify station upgrades across the South East Queensland rail network, complementing Queensland Rail's dedicated station accessibility upgrade program.

"Allowing this analysis to be done over the next six months will mean that following the opening of the Moreton Bay Rail Link, a realistic assessment of Dakabin station can be made to ensure that any possible improvements are being considered against the changes to travel behaviour we may see when this line opens," he said.

The outcomes of the Dakabin station options analysis will be presented to the State Government in the second half of 2016.

[Stillwater]

So why wasn't the Dakabin 'rail options plan' (yet another form of planning) not undertaken before money was spent on a car park fix not all that long ago?  I am not against a plan for the long-term future of the station, but options should have been known by now so that whatever is done there (new car parking etc) is in accordance with that plan.  This smacks of sloppy, piecemeal planning and action.  I wonder where a new Dakabin station rates on the scale with the Townsville Stadium? 

[ozbob]

Correspondence received:

1st July 2017

Hi Robert & the RBOT Team,

This week the Palaszczuk Government announced that $30 million has been allocated to upgrading Dakabin Station.

I've put up my own statement on the Dakabin Station Action Group Facebook page in response to the announcement (see copy below) but I wanted to personally write and thank you for your ongoing support as we fought to get this vital accessibility upgrade. Your forum and own determination to make the rail system better gave me courage.

This is a big win for my local community.

Kind regards,

Gemma Gale
Dakabin Station Action Group
dakabinstationactiongroup.com
www.facebook.com/DakabinStationActionGroup

Thanks and well done Gemma, and all your group! 

[red dragin]

Saw that the other day.

It really needs to be built in the long term proposed location north of Alma Rd. With the 300+ new town houses houses built close by, and probably 1000s more to come, the Alma Rd underpass (single traffic lane) will become a black spot.

Parking is already inadequate, and PT can't access the station on the eastern side where 90% of the housing is, due to road design.

Don't pretty it up, start greenfield and relegate the old one to history and the blade of a D9 dozer.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Agreed. They should have done the same with Narangba moving it a few hundred meters north instead of leaving it in the middle of nowhere outside the majority of the walk up catchment area.

[red dragin]

Having trouble finding the actual web page (threw the pollywaffle brochure out) but a new render of the station design shows....

*drum roll please*

Central raised platform humps.

On a dead straight and level platform